


High Above the Forest Floor

by 2nd2ndalto



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-29
Updated: 2013-12-29
Packaged: 2018-01-06 15:18:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1108405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2nd2ndalto/pseuds/2nd2ndalto
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose's gaze travelled upwards, following the growth of the majestic trees before them to where they finally disappeared into wispy cloud.</p>
            </blockquote>





	High Above the Forest Floor

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt challenge at [](http://never-ever-will.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://never-ever-will.livejournal.com/)**never_ever_will** , with fond memories of Cathedral Grove on Vancouver Island.

Rose stepped out of the TARDIS onto spongy green moss. She inhaled deeply, breathing in the rich scent of earth and the spicy fragrance of spruce and cedar. The Doctor tripped out of the TARDIS behind her.

"Oh, brilliant!" he exclaimed.

Rose's gaze travelled upwards, following the growth of the majestic trees before them to where they finally disappeared into wispy cloud. Her mouth dropped open. "But that's..." she trailed off. "Doctor, it's beautiful," she murmured. He beamed as he took her hand and began leading her deeper into the woods.

"Cedar groves of Xauxa-9," he began. "Oldest, tallest trees in the... well, anywhere, actually. Not your run-of-the-mill rainforest, though. Let's see if I remember correctly - oh, yes! Here we are!" He stopped at the foot of a particularly tall, thick trunk. There appeared to be rungs growing out of the bark, like some sort of natural ladder disappearing into the branches above.

"Ladies first!" The Doctor gestured for Rose to proceed.

Rose looked at him, bemused. "We're climbing?"

"Yes, up you go!" He was nearly bouncing with excitement as he took Rose firmly by the shoulders and pushed her towards the massive trunk.

"You'll love this Rose, it's amazing," the Doctor enthused from below her as they began their ascent.

Rose laughed. "I'll love climbing a tree?" she asked over her shoulder.

"No, no, no, no, no. Wellll, the climbing is good fun, too, but just wait until we get to the top!"

The climb was easier than Rose would have expected, so long as she tried not to look down. There was a lifting sensation that reminded her of the power-assist door openers she'd seen in shopping centres. When she asked the Doctor about it, he explained that even if they let go, they wouldn't exactly fall. He was a little vague on what would happen instead, and Rose decided not to chance it.

"Watch your head," the Doctor instructed as Rose nearly brained herself on a wooden platform immediately above her. "Sorry," he added, sounding a little sheepish as she shot him a look.

The rungs wound a little further around the trunk and then ended just under an opening in the platform. Rose climbed through and then moved out of the way for the Doctor. The climb had been so effortless she hadn't quite realized how far they'd come, and when she happened to glance towards the ground, she felt a shuddering wave of dizziness overtake her.

The Doctor hoisted himself up through the opening, hair wilder than usual from the humid air. He appeared completely unaffected by their altitude. There was a wooden railing around the platform, and the Doctor bounded to the edge to lean out over the forest, wood creaking slightly under his trainers. He turned after a moment.

"Come have a look, Rose! The view's no good from there!" He bounced back to where Rose stood, her back safely against the sturdy trunk of the cedar. He grabbed her right hand and then turned in surprise when she didn't immediately follow. To be fair, this was completely unprecedented.

The Doctor's brow furrowed in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Rose shook her head tightly. "Just... I can see fine from here. S'beautiful. Thanks." She spoke in short, clipped sentences, feeling as though if she opened her mouth too wide, her heart might come pounding out.

The Doctor kept her hand and moved to stand directly in front of her, eyes searching her face. A small smile touched his lips. "Rose Tyler. You're not afraid of heights, are you? No, you're not!" He frowned. "Jericho Street Junior School Under-Sevens Gymnastic Team. Second day I knew you, you swung over a pit of Nestene Consciousness without a second thought!"

"Well, that was different," Rose returned breathlessly. "Did that to save your life."

The Doctor's expression softened. "Yes, you did," he agreed gently, and Rose had to look away from the tenderness in his gaze, her lightheadedness no longer entirely due to their precarious perch.

The Doctor seemed to come back to the matter at hand after a moment, and when he spoke again, it was with his usual enthusiasm.

"It's brilliant, though, really Rose." He squeezed her hand. "It's not harvest season right now, but during the harvest, the Xauxians climb the cedars just like we did, they harvest the cedar berries," he gestured into the branches above, "and then they slide back down!" he pointed to a bare section of the platform, looking positively delighted.

Rose's eyes widened as she clutched at the tree trunk with her left hand. "They... slide?" Her voice cracked on the last.

"Rose, it's the best part," the Doctor said cajolingly. "Much easier than climbing back down, and a lot more fun."

Rose peered dubiously towards the unguarded edge of the platform, endeavouring to move as little of her body as possible. The supporting sensation she'd felt during the climb was completely absent now, and she felt terribly exposed. "I don't see a slide," she protested faintly.

The Doctor's eyes lit up. "That's the cleverest bit of all! It's rather like the force field around the TARDIS - completely secure, but invisible to the naked eye! Charged Xauxanthian particles - they create a tube - wellll, more of a chute. Transports the passenger quickly and safely to the ground without marring the natural beauty of the forest!"

Rose had to smile at his excitement. She really couldn't deny him anything. "How far up are we?" she asked weakly.

"Well..." the Doctor kept hold of her hand, now sweaty in his, but wouldn't quite meet her eye. "The Xauxians don't measure distance the way you would, and your measurements wouldn't be accurate anyway, given the - "

Rose breathed a laugh. "Never mind. All right, then." She shook her head and took one tentative step towards him, not relinquishing her grip on the tree or the Doctor.

The Doctor grinned widely. "Rose, you'll love it, I promise."

Rose cringed as the platform creaked beneath her. "I'm not letting go of you," she warned him.

He squeezed her hand in return. "I won't let you let go of me. It's safe, I promise."

"I have to say, I'm a little surprised at you," the Doctor continued as Rose transferred her left hand to grip his arm. "Did you have a bad experience tree-climbing as a child?"

Rose laughed shakily as they carefully made their way to the edge, watching the shuffling movement of her trainers instead of daring to look up.

The Doctor cupped her chin with his free hand, tipping her head up so he could look her in the eye. "Okay?" he asked softly.

Rose gazed into concerned brown eyes and immediately felt herself relax. She trusted this man with her life, no matter where he or his ship decided to take her next. She smiled up at him. "Okay."

His answering smile was even wider. "We're going to sit down now, is that all right?"

Rose nodded.

Together, they sank to the floor, the Doctor turning to sit with his legs seemingly suspended over the edge of the platform. Rose snuggled up behind him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yeah," she laughed, cheek pressed against the fabric of his coat.

The Doctor crossed his arms to grip hers, binding them together even more securely. Rose gasped as they shoved off the platform. The Doctor gave a shout of glee and Rose's stomach lurched a bit, but then they were flying.

The slide started slowly, but quickly picked up speed, and soon they were whizzing through the air, careening high above the forest floor and zooming around massive cedars, seemingly supported by nothing. It was completely exhilarating, and Rose couldn't remember why she'd been afraid. She gasped again as they gave a leaning cedar a near-miss, and the Doctor laughed and pulled her arms tighter around him.

The Xauxians had evidently designed this slide to take the most circuitous route possible, and the sudden drops and hairpin turns soon had both the Doctor and Rose laughing and whooping together, holding tightly to one another as they zipped through the ancient trees. In the end, the wild ride was over far too soon, and Rose and the Doctor were deposited gently onto the spongy forest floor, still gasping with laughter.

The Doctor jumped to his feet after a moment and extended a hand to Rose. She took it, stumbling against him as he pulled her up. They stood clinging to one another in a circle of towering cedars, both trying to catch their breath as Rose wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. She looked up at the Doctor, smiling broadly, and she suddenly registered something more than laughter in his gaze.

And then... Rose wasn't sure who moved first, but all at once her body was flush against his, the Doctor's mouth moving gently but insistently against hers. Rose sighed happily against him, returning the kiss with equal enthusiasm. Moments later they broke apart, breathless. A smile spread slowly over Rose's face until she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing again. The Doctor grinned widely back at her, eyes dark and hair wild.

"Can we do that again?" Rose breathed.

"Which part?" he blurted out, then immediately looked abashed.

Rose grinned. "All of it."

"Oh, yes."


End file.
